Pop musik: the sound of the charts around the world
In a new series, Andrew Khan examines the international language of pop – beginning with Germany.
As it's Europe's largest country, and one of the few that doesn't seem
to be teetering on the brink of insolvency, the importance of Germany to
boosting international sales will be understood by pop superstars on
both sides of the Atlantic. Justin Bieber may have been famously unfamiliar with the concept of "German" but his peers, from Lady Gaga to Cheryl Cole,
are regular fixtures on the nation's primetime TV. Other British and
American acts eyeing a lucrative slice of the market, however, will have
to compete with one of the strongest domestic music scenes in the
world.
[...] More familiar to international audiences, Tokio Hotel have captured a
fan-base stretching from Japan to Mexico. Androgyny is nothing new to
pop-metal but vocalist Bill Kaulitz's high cheekbones and flamboyant
dress sense ensure a great deal of squinting is required to determine
his gender. The music is disappointingly prosaic angst-fuelled emo though, with little of the flash their image promises.[...]
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